Hanks: I Never Understood Where The Legend Of Razor Blades In Candy Came From

Colin Hanks, star of Life in Pieces, dropped by CBS Sports Radio to discuss his life, career, and affinity for Halloween, among other topics. As much as Hanks, 39, enjoyed Halloween as a child, he enjoys it even more as a parent.

“I would say actually taking your kids trick-or-treating (is more fun),” Hanks said in studio on The DA Show. “I actually enjoy that so much, provided the neighborhood’s good and they get into the spirit. But I love Halloween. Halloween was one of my absolute favorites growing up. But I actually enjoy it more because I get to embarrass the kids, too, which is pretty fun.”

As a kid, Hanks said that he typically spent Halloween with his mother.

“It was more my mom,” he said. “Being a child growing up in the ’80s was a childhood of divorce. I was never in L.A. with my dad on Halloween, if not until I went off to college – and at that point, I’m not really running around. Well, actually, I was running around trying to get candy. That never really stops. But really, a majority of the Halloweens I remember is just like, ‘Okay, we’re leaving. Bye.’ And we go out and wreck havoc.”

DA, who also grew up in the 1980s, remembers parents and teachers telling him to watch out for razor blades in Halloween candy. Hanks was told the same.

Needless to say, neither ever found a razor in their stash.

“I never understood that,” Hanks said. “Who is going to take the time to put (a) razor blade (in candy)? In 100 candies? And find a candy big enough to put a razor blade (in)? In my brain, I didn’t remember a lot of single razors when I was a kid. At that point, it was all the plastic Bics. (That was) the way to go. How are they going to fit a big razor blade, a big plastic orange thing, into candy? How am I not going to see that? I want to know how that started. That’s a good urban legend.”